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FIFA 13 (Wii U) Review

Electronic Arts' FIFA series of soccer/football titles has become a mainstay in the homes of the majority, with almost every year somehow surpassing the previous one in sales terms, breaking new records all the time, even in the football-crazy European territories. The EA Sports product has almost wiped Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer off the scene completely, and with no other real contenders, FIFA has the market almost entirely to itself. After numerous complaints from gamers plagued by the glitch-ridden FIFA 13 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and the Wii and 3DS versions not even comparing to the stature of the HD console iterations, the 2013 season version has been a big letdown. Step up FIFA 13 on Wii U to set the matter straight.

Although the US market is quickly catching up, Europeans have such passion for the 'Beautiful Game' that having a football game at a console launch - or very soon after, at least - is pretty much imperative. Sadly, though, the likes of FIFA 64 and the first entries on DS and 3DS hardly set the world alight. Thankfully, more effort has definitely gone into FIFA 13 on Wii U. The title may be slightly misleading, with it clearly being FIFA 12 in updated form, complete with re-skin and squad updates (some of the imagery during a season in league mode, for instance, shows Dimitar Berbatov still with Manchester United). However, extras have been mixed in to make the Wii U not only unique, but the ultimate edition of the game, and more stable that the problematic FIFA 13 on other HD systems.

Everything plays just as expected, and all the key modes are all present and correct, but aspects such as First Touch Control are absent, yet the addition of the GamePad more than makes up for tiny parts not included. First off there is a great little element where the GamePad can be held up and used to increase the accuracy of free kicks, penalties, and so on. It may appear to be gimmicky to some, but works extremely well and becomes a natural function to help in matches on the whole very quickly. The biggest addition has to be the way tactics can be changed using the touch screen, be it making substitutions after checking on the stamina levels of certain players, or changing the play style to counteract a stronger than expected opposing team. Although such things could be done before, it is the ease with which they can be implemented that makes a world of difference here.

There is also the fact that entire matches can be played purely on the GamePad alone, which works superbly for those wanting to keep the experience going when the TV needs to be used by someone else. It is yet another example of developers swiftly adapting to the idea of giving the player more freedom than ever before. This first attempt at getting the formula right on Wii U is very impressive indeed, and being able to play such a solid game of football without the glitches that have dragged down the FIFA 13 experience on other systems should be enough to warrant a purchase for those previously sitting on the fence about EA's latest release.

It may sound strange to hear, but Electronic Arts has actually managed to bring the best version of FIFA 13 to Wii U, albeit by crafting a mish-mash of FIFA 12's core gameplay, complete with re-skin, along with some inventive GamePad usage. This is a strong start and is certainly good enough to cover up the lack of Pro Evolution Soccer, or any other football competitor on the system.

Gameplay

The integration of the GamePad in terms of quick tactical changes is a stroke of genius, and when tied with the strong core gameplay mechanic it makes for very enjoyable matches.

Graphics

Whilst previous FIFA games have struggled with the likeness of players, this latest edition is strikingly pleasing on the eyes, and not just on the players front, but all around in general.

Sound

Strong commentary, a wide selection of popular songs for the menu screens, wonderful atmosphere from the in-game crowds, and all sorts of perfect little touches.

Value

With all the features that made FIFA 12 so impressive, there is so much available for fans of the sport, and the GamePad features help to add a fresh angle that makes up for the reduced number of extras found in other versions of FIFA 13.

Cubed3 Rating

8/10

Great - Silver Award

It has to be said that whilst it is clearly the 2012 game on offer here, with a few new sprinklings to make it viable for the Wii U crowd, FIFA 13 is a far better effort than the usual churned out launch entries previous Nintendo consoles have had to suffer. What is on offer right here, right now, is actually a far better experience than the glitch-ridden Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of FIFA 13, and miles ahead of the Wii and 3DS editions as well. Anyone looking for their sporting fix on Wii U should definitely check this out.

Who wants this game?

Comments on this Review

Is the demo supposed to be broken? I tried it twice, and both times the tutorial was either bugged or terribly bad.
When I finally got through all that, I tried a match. I thought it was nothing special. But then again, I haven't enjoyed a football game since WC98.

I haven't tried the demo, so can't comment, but it's a good game of football overall compared to the other offerings on the market. I'm still gutted the ISS series died - I used to love Major A's games I know ISS3 went off the boil, but my favourite football game is probably still ISS '98

That's very interesting - I've heard nothing but bad stuff about the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions from people! Also, I've not encountered any really noticeable slowdown issues with the Wii U edition. I wonder if there was just a problem with the demo?